"One of the biggest roadblocks I have in the drafting process is self-doubt. I beat myself up about..."

“One of the biggest roadblocks I have in the drafting process is self-doubt. I beat myself up about how sloppy the pages are or how cliché the plot might be or how my concept in another author’s hands would be executed better. I am my own worst enemy. A perfection monster.

 

These evil thoughts creep in every three days or so, and I become paralyzed with doubt. I forget that first drafts are messy. My head becomes a storm of negative thoughts. Can I really write this draft? Will readers like it? Is there anything salvable in this manuscript? When I fall into that dark place, I know it’s time for a pep talk or time to find a part of the book that I’m proud of. But forgive yourself. First drafts aren’t supposed to be perfect.”

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Dhonielle Clayton is a librarian and co-founder of CAKE Literary. She is the author of Tiny Pretty Things with Sona Charaipotra, and her new fantasy series The Belles hits shelves soon from Disney/Hyperion.

Writer’s Care Packages from Camp NaNoWriMo and We Need Diverse Books.